Pp10

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Welcome Back! Well, what an intense chapter the last one was. Hermione found out her father was alive and was reunited with him, Harry and Ginny discovered new thoughts while looking for Neville and Dumbledore confessed that there was something else he'd left out. Harry and Ginny were also given a gift. Let's check in on all our friends now, as Voldemort begins to make another move. Reading suggestion: ¾ width.

From Last Time:

Half an hour after he left, they managed to decide on a password.

"I think we should make it Lily," Harry suggested aloud. The couple were practicing so they would no longer be caught out by their friends.

"In honour of your mother?"

"Sort of. Having been married for a couple of months and spending precious time with you, I know how blessed my dad felt when he looked at her. You, Ginevra Molly Potter, are the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Oh, Harry, you are sweet." She wrapped her arms around him and whispered, "Hold me."

Chapter 10

Lord Voldemort had lived a very interesting life. He'd been born on December 31, 1926 to Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle Senior. He was a half-blood and was eventually considered to be the most powerful dark wizard of all time, surpassing even Grindelwald. His childhood had been spent in an orphanage, where he'd been starved of love, and entered Hogwarts at age eleven. He was sorted into Slytherin, and performed many dark acts, including splitting his soul and opening the Chamber of Secrets. His adventures had led to many innocent lives lost and two violent wars.

"Ah, my little friends. Come, speak with me," he ordered.

Cautiously, his followers approached, their masks covering their true feelings.

"Rosier, what news do you bring?"

"Crabbe, Goyle, and myself scouted out Potter's family. They are most boring people ever, but they're perfect bait."

"You can't be serious," sneered a voice from the back of the room. "He hates them."

"What about his girlfriend?" Voldemort asked.

"We could try. But she might be hard to get. He almost blew us up last time, my Lord."

"Try harder. You've let me down, Bella. Crucio!"

Bellatrix's screams echoed through the room.

"Severus, come forth. You say he hates his family. What other news do you bring?"

"Dumbledore suspects nothing of your plans, my Lord. He plans on allowing Potter to Hogsmeade as usual and claims he will have a lookout."

"You are hiding something, Severus. Crucio!"

Harry woke up screaming, drenched in sweat.

Harry! What happened? Ginny asked as she sat up. She wrapped her arms around him and poured what love she could into their bond.

Snape is in danger. Voldemort knows he's hiding something. We have to let Dumbledore know.

Shhhhh, just breathe. I'll go now and let him know.

Don't be long. Harry begged. He turned the lamp on and grabbed the Flamel's journal. She left, and he felt as though she'd taken a part of him with her.

HG HG HG HG HG HG

In their private quarters, Harry and Ginny sat side by side on the bed with the Flamel's journal on their laps. It was only seven am but they were wide awake.

Harry, shall I get some parchment and make notes? Ginny asked.

Oh, yeah sure. Harry replied, pulling her closer. We need to tell Hermione soon. It's not fair that Neville and Sirius know and she doesn't.

True. I love you so much Harry. She sniffed. I wonder where we would be without the bond.

I would have asked you to be my girlfriend anyway. I've liked you for ages.

Really? Ginny got up and walked over to the desk. She shivered as she sat back down on the bed.

Yeah, since third year at least. Harry summoned an extra blanket from the corner and put it over them, shuffling closer so they could fit better. Damn it Gin, I swear I constantly want to kiss you.

Ginny giggled. I know. I feel the same. Mind you, we are married.

Harry grinned. Hey, look at this. He pointed to a passage on the page. "It seems to be common in the few of us that are bonded that there is a link that allows us to communicate without verbally speaking. As wonderful is this is, it can cause issues for those around. Many of us have reported feeling rather awkward around friends and family. Nicholas and I began to conquer it by talking aloud even when it was just the two of us. Love was the driving force between us and we defeated the dark day by day, kiss by kiss."

"That's different. The kiss by kiss stands out to me, Harry."

"Why? Because of the second prophecy?"

"Yes. It said that love's great light would defeat the darkness."

"And you think it's related because kisses tend to be acts of love?"

"Precisely." Ginny replied and placed her hand on his cheek before gently touching her forehead to his. "Shall I write it down?"

"Might as well, love. It can't hurt."

PP PP PP PP PP

Hermione resumed classes as normal a few days later, having happily taken her father's last name after a trip to Gringotts. Defence was being taught by Auror Shacklebolt while they found a replacement for Umbridge, and Snape had been suspended from teaching but was allowed to remain living at Hogwarts.

"Now, what you need to remember is that your wand may be taken from you – so you need to know how to fight without it," Shacklebolt said.

A knock sounded and the door opened. "Kingsley?"

"Ah, Sirius. Can I help you?"

Whispers twittered through the room as Sirius replied, "Actually, I was wondering if I could speak to my daughter."

"Oh, of course. Miss Black, you may leave. There is no homework."

Hermione blushed and stood, quietly telling Neville she would see him later. Her father helped her gather her books and they left, hand in hand. He led her through the halls for at least five minutes before they stopped.

"Dad, where are we going?"

"I have a surprise for you."

He pulled a blindfold out of his robes and tied it over her eyes. As she discovered, trust was an emotion that could be built without physical sight. It was funny when she thought about what had led her to this moment. For years she'd wished that she could find her father, wished with all her might that he'd just appear and sweep her into his arms. She'd gone to Hogwarts, her heart full of hope; and year after year that hope had diminished. She'd not known that she'd met him in her third year, not known that she'd set her own father free. Yet there she'd been, the summer between her fourth and fifth year, jokingly calling him dad. She'd testified at his trial, thinking she was only helping the man that was her best friend's godfather. She would never like Snape, but she wondered if she would've found out, had it not been for the lesson. She'd prayed that she'd be loved this year, and she'd received double the amount she'd been looking for – in Neville, and in Sirius. She was Hermione Black-Granger, a proud pillar of Wizarding Society.

When they finally reached their destination, Sirius pulled the blindfold off and Hermione gasped. They were standing in front of a three-storied manor, painted in light yellow and trimmed in white. "What's this?" she gasped.

"This, my dear, is our new home."

"But what about your house in London?"

"It's still being used as headquarters. I wanted somewhere nice for us to just be father and daughter."

"Mum would have loved this."

"I know, she always told me when we were together she wanted a big yellow house with fancy black gates. At the time I laughed, but clearly it stuck in my heart because here I am with exactly that."

A tear trickled down her cheek, landing on the dirt like a pure diamond. "Can we see inside?"

"Absolutely. In fact, I've already got lunch on the table. So, there's no time like the present is there?"

She laughed. "No, I suppose not." Her father was already running toward the house in excitement. She followed after him, pleased to see that he was happy.

The second she stepped through the doorway, she felt like she was back in Kensington. "Oh, daddy. It's exactly like when I grew up." Joy filled her as she looked around at the comfy sofas and mahogany dining table.

"James always loved Mahogany – his wand was made of it. Your mother loved it too. This house is basically my memory of her," he commented as he observed her stroking it delicately. "Come sit down and eat with me. I've got your favourite – potato salad and egg sandwiches." He pulled out a chair for her.

"Why did you take me in the middle of class?" she asked curiously. She wasn't mad, just confused.

"Aside from being too excited, today is the anniversary of the day I asked your mother on our first date." Sirius' eyes clouded over as he remembered October the 11th. It had been the best day of his life. He'd been chasing after her for years, so when she'd said yes to spending an afternoon with him. One afternoon had turned into evenings together on the couch and eventually engagement.

Hermione's mouth fell open a little. She was about to apologise when he pulled a square package out of his robe. "How much have you got in that robe of yours?"

"It's akin to Hagrid's coat, let's just say that." She giggled as he handed it to her. "Go on, open it."

She took the string and tugged it, parting the neat folds to reveal a book. The Marauder's Guide to Pranks. Hermione looked up, an eyebrow raised.

"Your mother and I often had competitions to see who could come up with the best pranks. With the help of Harry's father, Remus, and dare I mention Wormtail, we compiled this collection of our favourites. If you can figure out how to do it without being caught, it's really quite fun."

"I'll give it a go, dad."

He took her hand. "Good girl."

"Nev can help," she said with a wink. "Do you like him?"

"I remember Frank and Alice very well. They were always very kind and it seems to have passed on. He's a good chap."

"I'm glad to hear that, because I really love him."

"Have you told him?"

"Not really. I've talked to Ginny about it, but I'm scared," she answered around a bite of potato. When they were done eating, Sirius took her by the arm and showed her the rest of the house. She was impressed that he'd managed to decorate on his own, and she said so. His response was that he was a man of many talents. She'd kept a calm manner about her until he opened the door to the library. It was filled from floor to ceiling with books.

"Is this for real?" she shrieked.

"As real as I am. You can come back here soon, but let me show your room. I'm pretty sure you'll love that too. I kept my design from fifteen years ago."

"Your design?" she asked.

"The only reason I became a hit wizard was because of the war. My true dream was to be an interior designer."

"Why can't you do that now?"

"Fear, sweetie."

"I bet mum would smile down on you if you went for it. You have my blessing."

"I'll think about it. Go on, have a look," he encouraged as he unveiled her bedroom. The walls were painted maroon with gold trim. A Gryffindor lion took up the centre of one panel. In the corner sat a four poster bed, just like the one she slept in at Hogwarts; a white vanity and mirror were beside it; and in the corner, a small room that served as a wardrobe.

"Oh dad, it's beautiful," she gave him a kiss on the cheek and wrapped an arm around his waist. Father and daughter stood together, remembering the woman that had brought them where they were in that moment.

PP PP PP PP PP

Eventually, Harry and Ginny grew tired of keeping the truth from Hermione, Neville and Ron. The week before Christmas Break, the couple met their friends outside their quarters and prepared themselves for a barrage of questions.

"Lily." Harry said quietly to the portrait. It swung open and he welcomed them inside. Hermione released a delighted gasp – Ginny had decorated for Christmas. Tinsel was strung around every corner of the room, a huge tree stood in the sitting area and bright cushions depicting Santa and his reindeer adorned the couch.

"Welcome to our quarters. This is where we've been disappearing to," Ginny said excitedly.

"Your what?" Hermione and Ron gaped simultaneously.

"How about we all sit down with a nice cup of tea or cocoa? Ginny and I will explain everything."

The three nodded their agreement and sat. Hermione and Ginny had tea, while the boys had cocoa. "How shall we do this? Do you want us to tell you the story or skip straight to questions?"

"Give us some background, mate," Ron suggested.

Harry and Ginny shared a look. He was being more reasonable than they'd expected. "So, I'm sure you all remember when Ginny and I first met. It was on the platform, the day I started Hogwarts," Harry began. "As Dumbledore explained it, our souls connected. Before the incident in the Chamber, we had a loose connection, as such. When I saved her, it was kind of like an envelope being closed – in other words, the connection sealed and created a bond. The bond grew deeper as time passed and by the time we began writing letters, there was only one thing needed for it to be complete." At this point, Ron began to stare at his sister in realisation. Ginny picked up the tale. "I felt Harry's pain when he was being beaten. That's why I knew something was wrong. The day I kissed him, the bond changed. To put it simply, we're married."

Stunned silence met this announcement.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked doubtfully.

"I know it's a hard concept to wrap your head around, but yes. Married."

"If I may be so bold, but is that why you were in Harry's bed a few weeks ago?" Ron asked Ginny. He was taking it surprisingly well.

"Other than the fact that he wasn't taking the thought of Sirius' trial well, yes."

Neville grinned. That morning had been a highlight for him. Hermione looked at him. "Neville, you don't seem surprised."

"Uh, yeah, Harry and Ginny told me when he slipped and called her Mrs Potter."

"And you didn't tell me?" she asked waspishly.

"We asked him not to, Hermione."

She sat back, hurt. "Why? I'm your best friend."

Harry sighed. "Think about it. What if that information got into the hands of Voldemort?"

"Well, I suppose. I don't really understand though. And how could you keep it to yourselves for so long?"

"Hermione, Harry and I can talk to each other silently. You started to catch on after the feast, which is why we've decided to be honest now," Ginny said soothingly.

"So Dumbledore gave you these quarters because of that? Does that mean you've – you know?" Neville asked.

Pushing his laughter down at his friend's boldness, Harry replied "Yes and yes. But there's also another purpose for the quarters."

"Don't tell me there's some sort of prophecy that means your baby is the only one who can defeat him," Ron moaned. "Urgh, that just leads my mind down a road of imagination I don't want to go anywhere near."

Ginny giggled. "Surprisingly close, Ron. No, Harry was the baby. There's also a second prophecy that speaks of our love being the reason Voldemort dies."

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed. "He cannot ever feel love. If he did, he'd feel like he was being tortured under the cruciatus – it's because he's so dark."

Harry and Ginny looked at each other. They'd briefly considered that too. Now it didn't seem so unbelievable. She might be right, you know?

Yeah. Fancy Neville asking what he did.

I had to really work to control myself. Harry admitted. I'm so glad you're mine.

Ginny rested her head on his shoulder. Me too.

"I have one more question," Neville said. "What have you told the nosy ones who notice you're gone?"

"Thankfully, no one has asked yet. But, when we asked Professor Dumbledore, he suggested saying that it's because of Harry's nightmares."

"I can see how that would work. Well, congratulations. Are you going to have a ceremony?"

"Once the old tosser is gone, yes. Definitely."

Ron and Harry smiled at each other, dissolving the remaining tension. They were family, and that was all that mattered in that moment.

A/N: A lovely chapter, I'd say. I'm certainly enjoying my creative freedom with Sirius and Hermione. If you have any prank ideas that she could have a go at, let me know. Thanks for reading!